9/11 The Most Memorable TV Moment of Last 50 Years
Published at
DOUG KANTER/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Which TV moment of the last 50 years was the most memorable for viewers? According to a new study by Nielsen and Sony Electronics, it was news coverage of the 9/11 attacks.
The study, completed by more than 1,000 adults, attempted to rank the moments that had the most impact and were the most meaningful to participants.
News coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the verdict in the O.J. Simpson murder trial in 1995 — he was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman — rank second and third, respectively. The explosion of the Challenger space shuttle in 1986 and the death of Osama bin Laden last year round out the top five.
The highest-ranking entertainment-related moment, at number 11, is the coverage of Whitney Houston’s death this past February.
Here are the top 10 most memorable TV moments, according to the study:
1. Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, 2001
2. Hurricane Katrina, 2005
3. The O.J. Simpson verdict, 1995
4. The Challenger space shuttle explodes, 1986
5. Death of Osama bin Laden, 2011
6. The O.J. Simpson White Bronco chase, 1994
7. The Japanese earthquake and tsunami, 2011
8. Columbine school shooting, 1999
9. BP oil spill in Gulf of Mexico, 2010
10. Princess Diana’s funeral, 1997
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio